Job summary
We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for a full time Highly Specialist Critical Care Mental Health Liaison Nurse to join the psychosocial team within the Department of Critical Care at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. This unique role, being the only specialist liaison psychiatry nurse within a critical care setting, will provide expert mental health nursing, family support and social advocacy to patients and family of patients within critical care.
The role would suit an existing 7 mental health nurse (looking to develop and enhance their skills working within liaison psychiatry, and a trauma-informed approach in a critical care environment), or an enthusiastic and capable band 6 mental health nurse (looking to progress to a band 7 role in an exciting area of clinical practice).
This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to an innovative model of psycho-social care that has demonstrated strong outcomes since its inception.
Established support structures are in place with the post holder benefitting from clinical and professional supervision, close working relationships from within the psychosocial team and across numerous medical departments at King's College Hospital and peer support from a friendly and innovative group of psychologists, psychiatrists, and social work within a busy hospital setting serving a diverse inner city population.
Main duties of the job
The Critical Care Specialist Mental Health Liaison Nurse is a vital role within the Critical Care Psychosocial Team, providing expert mental health nursing, family support, and social advocacy. The post holder will:
- Provide specialist mental health nursing care, including capacity and risk assessments, brief psychological interventions, and crisis management to critically ill patients.
- Act as the primary liaison for families and carers, offering psychoeducation, emotional support, and debriefing throughout the patient's ICU stay and recovery.
- Implement patient-focussed risk management plans where required.
- Conduct social work-related activities, including welfare advocacy, safeguarding liaison, and coordination with community and statutory agencies.
- Support and deliver a critical care psychiatry training programme for the Critical Care MDT.
- Work collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams to ensure holistic, patient-centred care.
The post holder will receive supervision and ongoing professional development within a psychologically informed, trauma-sensitive framework.
About us
The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments, including risk and capacity assessments, aligned with MCA and MHA legislation.
- Provide direct nursing care focused on mental health stabilisation, crisis intervention, and brief psychological support using trauma-informed and recovery-focused approaches.
- Support patients experiencing delirium, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, depression, or psychosis in the context of physical illness.
- Coordinate with liaison psychiatry, medical, and nursing teams to develop and implement individualised care plans.
- Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with Trust policies.
- Act as a member of the MDT within the intensive care follow-up clinic, providing clinical assessment, risk assessment and signposting related to patients mental health needs.
- Serve as a Family Liaison Nurse, offering consistent communication and support to families throughout ICU admission and discharge.
- Provide psychoeducation about the critical care environment, delirium, post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), and emotional reactions to critical illness.
- Facilitate family debriefings after distressing events or adverse clinical outcomes.
- Support bereaved families, including signposting to bereavement services and facilitating access to psychological support.
- Help families navigate hospital processes and advocate for their needs within the care team.
- Liaise with Adult and Childrens Social Care teams to address safeguarding concerns and coordinate care transitions.
- Collaborate with third-sector organisations and community mental health teams to facilitate smooth discharge planning.
- Respond to and escalate domestic abuse concerns following Trust safeguarding protocols.
- Support families facing practical challenges related to caregiving, accommodation, and social isolation, including signposting and liaison with other teams.
Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
Research and development
- To undertake regular service evaluations or audits relevant to service needs.
- To contribute to and lead, as appropriate, research projects relevant to the needs of the service
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through reports, presentations and published articles.
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members
Leadership, Training and Quality Improvement
- Act as a senior clinical resource within the Critical Care Psychosocial Team, providing clinical advice, support, and informal supervision to junior staff and students.
- Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, contributing to holistic care planning.
- Develop and deliver training sessions on psychological and social aspects of critical care to nursing and medical teams.
- Engage in clinical audits, service evaluations, and quality improvement projects to enhance psychosocial care delivery.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based practice, legislation, and Trust policies relevant to mental health nursing and critical care.
Personal and Professional Development
To ensure the maintenance of standards of practice /Codes of Conduct according to the employer and regulating and professional bodies (NMC, CQC).
To attend clinical / managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with manager, participate in individual performance reviews and respond to agreed objectives.
This post is one of continual development and the post holder will be encouraged to develop skills and capabilities, including participation in projects and training events.
To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
General
- To travel to other sites across the Trust, when required.
- The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
- To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
- We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued.
- At Kings we are a kind, respectful team:
Kind. We show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work
Respectful. We promote equality, are inclusive and honest, speaking up when needed
Team. We support each other, communicate openly, and are reassuringly professional
- To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
- To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
- This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
- All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication.
- Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At Kings, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed
Safeguarding
The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibility to support the organisation in our duties by;
- attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults
- familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns
- reporting any safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately
Infection Control Statement
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas.
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.
These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Conduct comprehensive mental health assessments, including risk and capacity assessments, aligned with MCA and MHA legislation.
- Provide direct nursing care focused on mental health stabilisation, crisis intervention, and brief psychological support using trauma-informed and recovery-focused approaches.
- Support patients experiencing delirium, PTSD symptoms, anxiety, depression, or psychosis in the context of physical illness.
- Coordinate with liaison psychiatry, medical, and nursing teams to develop and implement individualised care plans.
- Ensure accurate and timely clinical documentation in accordance with Trust policies.
- Act as a member of the MDT within the intensive care follow-up clinic, providing clinical assessment, risk assessment and signposting related to patients mental health needs.
- Serve as a Family Liaison Nurse, offering consistent communication and support to families throughout ICU admission and discharge.
- Provide psychoeducation about the critical care environment, delirium, post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), and emotional reactions to critical illness.
- Facilitate family debriefings after distressing events or adverse clinical outcomes.
- Support bereaved families, including signposting to bereavement services and facilitating access to psychological support.
- Help families navigate hospital processes and advocate for their needs within the care team.
- Liaise with Adult and Childrens Social Care teams to address safeguarding concerns and coordinate care transitions.
- Collaborate with third-sector organisations and community mental health teams to facilitate smooth discharge planning.
- Respond to and escalate domestic abuse concerns following Trust safeguarding protocols.
- Support families facing practical challenges related to caregiving, accommodation, and social isolation, including signposting and liaison with other teams.
Record-keeping and Information Governance
- To ensure that all information generated by own work is recorded as required by Trust policies and local procedures.
- To maintain the highest standards of clinical record keeping and report writing, according to professional and Trust guidelines, including electronic data entry.
Research and development
- To undertake regular service evaluations or audits relevant to service needs.
- To contribute to and lead, as appropriate, research projects relevant to the needs of the service
- To disseminate research and service evaluation findings through reports, presentations and published articles.
- To utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice in individual work and work with other team members
Leadership, Training and Quality Improvement
- Act as a senior clinical resource within the Critical Care Psychosocial Team, providing clinical advice, support, and informal supervision to junior staff and students.
- Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings, contributing to holistic care planning.
- Develop and deliver training sessions on psychological and social aspects of critical care to nursing and medical teams.
- Engage in clinical audits, service evaluations, and quality improvement projects to enhance psychosocial care delivery.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evidence-based practice, legislation, and Trust policies relevant to mental health nursing and critical care.
Personal and Professional Development
To ensure the maintenance of standards of practice /Codes of Conduct according to the employer and regulating and professional bodies (NMC, CQC).
To attend clinical / managerial supervision on a regular basis as agreed with manager, participate in individual performance reviews and respond to agreed objectives.
This post is one of continual development and the post holder will be encouraged to develop skills and capabilities, including participation in projects and training events.
To adhere to Trust policies and procedures.
General
- To travel to other sites across the Trust, when required.
- The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
- To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations.
- We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued.
- At Kings we are a kind, respectful team:
Kind. We show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work
Respectful. We promote equality, are inclusive and honest, speaking up when needed
Team. We support each other, communicate openly, and are reassuringly professional
- To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff.
- To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues.
- This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder.
- All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication.
- Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At Kings, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed
Safeguarding
The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibility to support the organisation in our duties by;
- attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults
- familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns
- reporting any safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately
Infection Control Statement
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas.
The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role.
These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Educated to post-graduate/master's level
Desirable
- Training in trauma-informed care, mindfulness or grounding techniques
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive experience in mental health nursing within a hospital setting
- Experience working in mental health crisis care
- Experience of managing acute risk in the context of mental illness, physical health and psychological distress
Desirable
- Experience working in Liaison Psychiatry, or in Critical Care settings
Skills
Essential
- Ability to evaluate complex psychosocial needs of patients and those close to them
- Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NMC Registered Mental Health Nurse
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Educated to post-graduate/master's level
Desirable
- Training in trauma-informed care, mindfulness or grounding techniques
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive experience in mental health nursing within a hospital setting
- Experience working in mental health crisis care
- Experience of managing acute risk in the context of mental illness, physical health and psychological distress
Desirable
- Experience working in Liaison Psychiatry, or in Critical Care settings
Skills
Essential
- Ability to evaluate complex psychosocial needs of patients and those close to them
- Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
